CLEVELAND — If the competition for the final receiver spot was supposed to come down to Thursday's exhibition game against the Browns, then Dane Sanzenbacher should have no problem making the 53-man roster.

Veteran Rashied Davis, who was believed to be in a duel with Sanzenbacher, told the Tribune the Bears released him Wednesday morning. Davis, in his second stint with the team, suffered an undisclosed injury and did not practice Tuesday.

The Bears kept six receivers on the 53-man roster at the start of last season. With Brandon Marshall, Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, Alshon Jeffery and Eric Weems locks to make the roster, the sixth receiver spot appeared to come down to Davis and Sanzenbacher. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub even acknowledged Sanzenbacher was "in a battle'' for a roster spot.

Davis, who was signed during training camp, had experience on his side in terms of special teams play, but Sanzenbacher showed great progress in that area this preseason.

"He has done a good job,'' Toub said. "He caught some tough punts in the last game. He got hit one time on the catch and still stayed with it. … He's playing hard. He's doing everything he can to make this team.

Not to mention quarterback Jay Cutler previously has lobbied for Sanzenbacher to stick.

"Jay wants what he wants and he's entitled to his own feelings and opinions, and I respect that about Jay,'' Davis said Tuesday. "If he wants Dane, that's probably who he's going to get.''

The 33-year-old Davis, who played for the Lions last season, felt he was a little behind after joining the team late. He also was accustomed to playing the slot on offense and only saw time outside in the previous exhibition games.

The Bears have to shave their roster to 53 by 8 p.m. Friday, and their roster will be at 74 once the Davis move is announced.

Roster moves, Part II: The Bears waived/injured linebacker Dom DeCicco, who had been sidelined with what was called a groin injury. DeCicco went to Philadelphia on Tuesday for a second opinion and found out he had a sports hernia injury. He is scheduled to have surgery next week and will be sidelined three weeks.

"I would love to come back to Chicago, but I don't know if I actually see that happening,'' DeCicco said.

The Bears will do an injury settlement with DeCicco. He wouldn't be able to re-sign with them until six weeks after the length of the settlement. For example, if he received a three-week settlement, he wouldn't be able to re-sign until Week 9.

The Bears now have nine linebackers and are expected to keep six on the 53-man roster.

The Bears also re-signed receiver Terriun Crump, who was waived on Sunday.

Is the Price right? The Bears gave up a seventh-round pick to acquire defensive tackle Brian Price from the Bucs. Although Price struggled at the beginning of training camp while coming off a leg injury, he showed signs of life in exhibition play.

Price definitely has a chance to make the 53-man roster, based on how many defensive tackles the Bears decide to keep. But he's not a lock, and he knows it.

"No, you can never do enough,'' Price said. "There's always something to be done. They made it clear here that nothing is handed to you and no one is promised a job. There's always new talent out there, and that's what keeps guys going.''

Price came to the team with a compelling story after losing both his brothers to gang violence while growing up in south central Los Angeles. One of Price's sister died in hit-and-run car accident back in March, and Price was in the process of adopting his late-sister's two young sons.

"The saying is 'bend but don't break,' and I've definitely been through a lot of things that people would have been broke already,'' Price said. "But being here has given me a whole new outlook on life. I'm just grateful to be here.''

In terms of interior linemen, the Bears have projected starters Henry Melton and Stephen Paea along with Matt Toeaina. Newcomer Nate Collins has impressed although Collins is suspended for the first game of the season for violating the league's drug policy. And starting defensive end Israel Idonije has lined up inside in certain situations.